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According to a rating created by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), Argentina is among the top ten countries that destroy their forests the most, and the FAO calculates the loss has amounted to more than 7.5 million hectares since 1990.Between 1998 and 2006, the deforested surface of Argentina was of almost 3,000 hectares (the equivalent of 250,000 hectares a year or one hectare every two minutes).The funds assigned by the Argentinian Congress for forest protection in 2016 are 23 times less than what is established by the national forestry norm.Combined, soya bean, soya meal and soya bean oil make up 31% of the country’s exports.
Mapuche peoples (Patagonia, affected by fracking at Vaca Muerta)31 ‘registered’ indigenous groups → 92% do not have the government-officiated title to their own land, discrimination especially against those who speak their own language Wichí people in/around Salta are being affected by the deforestation and have been evicted by the police, are constantly fighting construction effortsIndigenous Communities Act passed in 2006 was meant to suspend evictions and protect indigenous land, but the required surveys were only held in half of the indigenous communities and illegal evictions are still taking place. In 2017, the majority of the 225 unresolved land conflicts involved illegal evictions and development on indigenous communities.
Argentina
What exactly is the Escazú Agreement and how can it help Argentina?
The agreement 🗣️ (click the arrow to expand)
Ratifying the Escazú Agreement will improve democratic participation in decisions affecting the environment, increase access to environmental data, allow the right to pursue environmental injustice in court, and protect indigenous people and other environmental defenders.
Argentina needs to stop deforestation and fracking to achieve a healthy environment for all
Protecting the environment
Argentina’s 25 million hectares of forestry are under siege from expansions in agriculture and development.
Deforestation
Since 1996, when the government authorised the introduction of genetically modified soya bean, Argentina has cleared nearly a quarter of its native forests. Argentina is the first global exporter of soy, and the biggest provider of flour and biodiesel made from its derivates.. However, according to the coordinator of Greenpeace’s forest campaign in Argentina, Hernán Giardini, “the advance of genetically-modified soy production since the mid-nineties until now, and the intensive cattle raising in the north” are the main causes for forest loss in the country.
“What producers have done to get around the forest law is obtain written statements from community chiefs agreeing to deforestation in exchange for houses and water deliveries,”
Fracking
The “Vaca Muerta” oil and gas project, which promises to double oil and gas production over the next six years in Argentina, is facing such strong headwinds from current fiscal, market, political and environmental forces that “the plan is likely to fail,” according to a report released by the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA), a global financial research group.
The Vaca Muerta deposit extends over 30,000 square kilometers in Patagonia, between the provinces of Neuquén, Río Negro, La Pampa and Mendoza. It represents 43% of total oil production (505,000 barrels per day) and 60% of gas production
In the surrounding area the mapuche indigenous people who live there are claiming the right to their lands because they were never consulted and claim that they have had to move because of the contamination caused by the hydraulic fracture, necessary for the extraction of non-conventional hydrocarbons.
Escazú will increase protections for environmental defenders and indigenous Argentinans
Despite having a comprehensive legal structure for the elimination of racial discrimination and equal rights, weak implementation means that significant challenges remain—and nothing more apparent than the situation of the indigenous people, who often live in extreme poverty and without access to basic services such as health, decent accommodation and even drinking water. Even when these indigenous communities manage to obtain ownership of their land, they remain in danger because control of their natural resources is not adequately protected
The last decade has seen an explosion of authorizations for clearing, forestry or mining operations that have restricted Argentinans to access to a healthy environment without their consent, especially to indigenous communities.
More info ⬇️
Let’s get it ratified!
After signing the agreement on September 27, 2018, Argentina was ready to debate the treaty in the Congress on March 1 of this year. However, the government has been on pause during quarantine, but the government is very aware of the agreement.. Argentina is very close to ratification, which means your voice is doubly important! We are hopeful that Argentina can ratify in the upcoming weeks, but this won’t be possible without a final push.
Did you know that?💡
Over 40 organizations actively are fighting for ratification
⬇️Here’s how you can help ー take action collectively at the page (this makes it easier to complete everything)
Twitter storm❗
Send these click to tweets targeted at the Argentinan governmental officials to urge them to ratify the Escazú Agreement!
Email Storm 📬
Normally the requests are sent by mail to the congressmen so it is a good tool to show what we want. Remember to vary the subject and some words so that it is not taken as spam. Here are email templates and links to help you email Argentina's congressmen easily! The links work best on a mobile phone, if you want to send an email from your computer, you can find all the templates and information you need below!
Send an email to the Argentinian Congress to urge them to ratify the agreement! It will take less than a minute!
Remember to add your name and country!!
If the links don’t work⬇️
Email template 1
Mail to: jorge.taiana@senado.gob.ar dvilar@hcdn.gob.ar kalumes@hcdn.gob.ar pansaloni@hcdn.gob.ar sbrambilla@hcdn.gob.ar gcamano@hcdn.gob.ar mcaparros@hcdn.gob.ar gcerruti@hcdn.gob.ar vcornejo@hcdn.gob.ar gestevez@hcdn.gob.ar ffagioli@hcdn.gob.ar egfernandez@hcdn.gob.ar afregonese@hcdn.gob.ar ffrigerio@hcdn.gob.ar mgrande@hcdn.gob.ar
Subject: Acuerdo de Escazú
Mi nombre es y soy de . Me dirijo a usted para pedirle que el acuerdo de Escazú sea ratificado antes del 26 de septiembre para que todos los argentinos tengan un acceso pleno y efectivo a los derechos resaltados en él.
La perdida de un millón de km cuadrados de selva en 25 años, que más del 68% de los suelos en sudamerica sufran de erosión por la ganadería extensiva, que más del 23% de las especies estén en vía de extinción, que el 70% del agua usada en las ciudades, la industria y la agricultura no tenga tratamiento alguno al momento de regresar a los ríos, lo que pone a 25 millones de personas en riesgo de contraer alguna enfermedad. (Además, resaltando que estás cifras no solo afectan a toda la región sino que además obligan a que los defensores que luchan para hacer un cambio estén más vulnerables que nunca pues solo en el 2017 fueron asesinados 116). Todo esto demuestra que la ratificación de este acuerdo no solo es urgente, si no necesaria para cumplir con los derechos básicos de los ciudadanos pues todo lo anterior está poniendo el riesgo una gran cantidad de derechos, incluyendo el derecho a la vida.
Como ciudadanos los elegimos a ustedes para que nos representen y dejar pasar la ratificación (estando tan cerca) de un acuerdo tan importante como este es una clara muestra que no están velando por nuestro bienestar ni el de nuestras futuras generaciones.
Espero que lo considere, muchas gracias
Email template 2
Mail to: jorge.taiana@senado.gob.ar dvilar@hcdn.gob.ar kalumes@hcdn.gob.ar pansaloni@hcdn.gob.ar sbrambilla@hcdn.gob.ar gcamano@hcdn.gob.ar mcaparros@hcdn.gob.ar gcerruti@hcdn.gob.ar vcornejo@hcdn.gob.ar gestevez@hcdn.gob.ar ffagioli@hcdn.gob.ar egfernandez@hcdn.gob.ar afregonese@hcdn.gob.ar ffrigerio@hcdn.gob.ar mgrande@hcdn.gob.ar
Subject: Queremos Escazú ya
Mi nombre es y soy de . Estoy escribiendo este mensaje con el objetivo de pedir que no se deje de lado la ratificación del acuerdo de Escazú, pues si se tiene en cuenta la situación tanto de Argentina como de Latinoamerica y del caribe, es sumamente urgente y necesario.
El acuerdo aspira a un mismo objetivo: que todos los países de la región cuenten con el mismo nivel de protección, garantía y promoción de los derechos de acceso, manteniendo como principio la soberanía permanente de los Estados sobre sus recursos naturales (artículo 3, Acuerdo de Escazú).
Sinceramente no encuentro razón válida para que el acuerdo no sea firmado y espero que usted haga lo posible para hacerlo. (Como ciudadanx cuento con usted para que me represente.) esta frase solo si eres de Arg
Gracias
Email template 3
Mail to: jorge.taiana@senado.gob.ar dvilar@hcdn.gob.ar kalumes@hcdn.gob.ar pansaloni@hcdn.gob.ar sbrambilla@hcdn.gob.ar gcamano@hcdn.gob.ar mcaparros@hcdn.gob.ar gcerruti@hcdn.gob.ar vcornejo@hcdn.gob.ar gestevez@hcdn.gob.ar ffagioli@hcdn.gob.ar egfernandez@hcdn.gob.ar afregonese@hcdn.gob.ar ffrigerio@hcdn.gob.ar mgrande@hcdn.gob.ar
Subject: La ratificación del acuerdo es urgente
Mi nombre es y soy de . Estoy escribiendo este mensaje con el objetivo de pedir que no se deje de lado la ratificación del acuerdo de Escazú, pues si se tiene en cuenta la situación tanto de Argentina como de Latinoamerica y del caribe, es sumamente urgente y necesario.
El acuerdo aspira a un mismo objetivo: que todos los países de la región cuenten con el mismo nivel de protección, garantía y promoción de los derechos de acceso, manteniendo como principio la soberanía permanente de los Estados sobre sus recursos naturales (artículo 3, Acuerdo de Escazú).
Sinceramente no encuentro razón válida para que el acuerdo no sea firmado y espero que usted haga lo posible para hacerlo. (Como ciudadanx cuento con usted para que me represente.) esta frase solo si eres de Arg
Gracias
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